Let's Pretend (We're In Love)
by fagur fiskur
Summary: In which Cas is Sam's boyfriend, but not really, and he and Dean fall in love. Dean/Castiel, fake Sam/Castiel


**A/N:** 30 (more) cheesy tropes: #1 Fake relationship

Since I had so much fun doing the 30 day cheesy tropes challenge, I decided to put together another list myself! The full list can be found on my tumblr, the link to which can be found on my author's page.

Thanks to my beta, IShipItAllAndThenSome!

EDIT: I decided to post each fill separately, since I'm planning on a longer word count for each of them this time around and they work well as one-shots.

* * *

**Let's Pretend (We're In Love)**

* * *

Castiel stared up at his friend. Surely, he'd heard wrong. Sam hadn't actually been suggesting anything as ludicrous as… _this_.

"It's just for a couple of weeks," Sam continued, wringing his hands nervously. "Just for long enough for my mom to stop worrying that I don't have a social life at Stanford."

"You don't," Castiel pointed out.

"But she doesn't need to know that." Sam rubbed the back of his neck. "You were gonna come and visit me in Lawrence this summer anyway, right? So when you think about it, this really doesn't change anything."

"Except your family will think that we are romantically involved."

"Right." Sam laughed nervously. "Except for that. Obviously."

"I don't understand why I would have to pretend to be your boyfriend. Wouldn't it be enough for your mother to know that you have a friend?"

"It would," Sam agreed. He cleared his throat. "Only, I already told her that you were my boyfriend." Castiel's incredulousness must have shown on his face, because Sam hurriedly added, "I didn't mean to! She asked me, and I panicked."

Castiel sighed. He could hardly believe he was even considering this, but… maybe it really wouldn't be so bad. Sam was a very good friend, the first real one Castiel had ever had. And it wasn't as if he often asked for favors.

"It's only two weeks?" Castiel asked, resigned.

Sam smiled, wide and relieved. "Two weeks, tops. I'll tell Mom we've broken up after you leave."

"All right." Castiel nodded and returned Sam's smile hesitantly. "I'll do it."

* * *

Castiel flew to Lawrence a couple of weeks after Sam. Despite his nervousness at the prospect of meeting, and lying to, Sam's family, he enjoyed the flight as always. There was something about being able to look at the clouds from above that appealed to him.

Sam had promised to pick him up at the airport, and it didn't take long for Castiel to spot him – Sam was usually the tallest person in any given room. It wasn't until Castiel had almost reached him that he noticed a man standing next to Sam, whom Castiel recognized from photographs as Sam's brother, Dean.

Castiel's first thought upon spotting him was that photographs did Dean no justice. The thought was immediately and forcefully pushed aside as Sam hugged him, reminding Castiel that he was here as someone's (pretend) boyfriend. _That_ thought was then thoroughly obliterated when Castiel turned to face Dean and was met with a brilliant smile.

"Hey," Dean said, smile widening slightly and causing crinkles to form around beautiful green eyes. "I'm Dean, Sam's brother. You must be Cas."

He held out his hand and Castiel accepted it in a daze. Dean's hand was warm, his grip firm but friendly. A cursory squeeze revealed a calloused palm and fingers.

Dean cleared his throat. "You can let go now."

Castiel felt his face redden, and he dropped Dean's hand.

This was not good.

* * *

"Mom, Dad," Sam said, "this is Castiel. My, um, my boyfriend."

Mrs. Winchester smiled widely and pulled Castiel into a hug. Mr. Winchester grunted something that might have been 'nice to meet you' and shook Castiel's hand briefly. Castiel knew he should be worrying about impressing these people – he certainly would if he were actually dating Sam – but all he could focus on was the occasional brush of Dean's arm against his own when either one of them shifted.

How would he survive two weeks of this?

* * *

Thankfully, Sam's parents (mainly Sam's father, Castiel suspected) insisted that they sleep in separate beds. Falling asleep with Sam the next bed over, already snoring softly, wasn't all that different from Stanford, and Castiel was relieved for that small bit of familiarity. He didn't like staying at new locations, and the fact that he was lying to his hosts added another layer to his anxieties.

That would maybe explain why, for the first time in quite some time, Castiel slept in. He was usually an early riser but that morning, he woke up well past eleven.

Sam's bed was empty and already made, so Castiel headed down to the kitchen, following the smell of freshly brewed coffee.

Dean was there, leaning against the counter, mug in hand. He was the only one there, Castiel noted belatedly.

"Morning," Dean said, smiling into his mug. "Sam just went out for a run. Should be back in an hour."

Castiel nodded, self-consciously running a hand through his hair.

"Coffee?" Dean asked.

"Please."

Once Castiel had poured himself a cup, an awkward silence settled over the kitchen. He kept his head down, trying to focus on his coffee, but he couldn't help sneaking the occasional surreptitious glance at Dean. He was wearing a tightly fit t-shirt, arms bare. Those were very nice arms.

"Do you have any plans for today?" Dean asked.

Castiel raised his head, eyes widening. Dean hadn't seen him staring at his arms, had he? "I don't know."

Dean hummed thoughtfully and put his mug down. "You wanna go and grab breakfast? There's a bakery just around the corner." He frowned, as if something had just occurred to him. "Unless you wanna wait for Sam?"

Castiel shook his head. "He won't be back for a while and I'm hungry. I'm sure he'll understand if I buy pastries without him."

Dean laughed, the sound causing Castiel's stomach to swoop. "Let's go then. But, um," he grinned, "you might wanna put some pants on first."

Castiel looked down, at his boxers and bare legs, and flushed red.

* * *

The bakery around the corner was a mom-and-pop store, with mismatched furniture and a general aura of homeliness that instantly put Castiel at ease. The woman working the register greeted Dean like a friend and grinned knowingly at Castiel. Her grin only widened when Dean insisted on paying for both of them, and Castiel knew she had misconstrued their relationship.

No sooner had they walked out into the street than Castiel blurted, against his better judgment, "That woman at the register thought we were involved."

To his surprise, a slight flush appeared high on Dean's cheeks. "Don't mind her. Just because I'm buying you breakfast-"

He cut himself off, reddening further. Somehow, it only made him appear even more impossibly attractive.

"We should go back home," Dean mumbled. "Sam might be back."

Castiel stiffened. He had forgotten about Sam.

"Yes," he agreed reluctantly. "Thank you for the pastries."

"You're welcome."

* * *

Being around Dean didn't prove any easier and avoiding him was almost impossible. Sam understandably wanted to spend as much time with his brother as possible before he had to leave for Stanford again, and Castiel had no choice but to tag along.

That said, it wasn't as if it were completely unbearable. He got to meet some of Sam and Dean's friends, and they all unanimously accepted Castiel into their ranks when they went out for drinks or to the movies, or spent the night just lounging around on someone's couch, playing video games. It was a heady feeling; Castiel had never been what you could call sociable, so having so many people eager to have him around was a new experience.

But no matter how much fun he had playing videogames with Charlie or engaging in a shots competition with Jo, nothing could compare to the way Dean looked at him like he was the only person in the room. His infatuation wasn't one-sided, that much Castiel had realized, but it wasn't as if anything could come of it. Even if Dean didn't think he was involved with Sam, Castiel would still be leaving soon, and they wouldn't see each other again until possibly next summer.

That said, there was nothing wrong with looking.

* * *

They were at Charlie's house, celebrating Castiel's last night in Lawrence. Admittedly, it wasn't all that different from any other night at Charlie's house – there was cheap beer, video games, and a bottle of tequila Ash had brought – but Castiel appreciated the gesture.

He was surprised to discover that he was upset to be leaving already. Upset, that was, until Charlie raised her glass and shouted over the room. "Let's have a toast for the happy couple!"

Everyone cheered and raised their glasses as well, chanting, "kiss, kiss, kiss". Sam laughed and shrugged awkwardly, and pulled Castiel in for a brief peck on the lips much to everyone's amusement. This much, Castiel would not miss. He hated the thought of all these people only knowing him as Sam's boyfriend, that he had been lying to them since he met them.

Suddenly, Charlie's living room felt too crowded and loud. Castiel handed his half-drunk beer to Ash, who promptly downed it, and stumbled out into the hallway. He needed to be alone for a moment, needed to compose himself.

Charlie's bedroom was at the end of the hallway and Castiel swiftly slipped inside, shutting the door behind him.

Then he realized that he wasn't alone. Dean was sitting slouched on Charlie's bed, straightening as soon as he noticed Castiel.

"What are you doing here?"

Castiel shrugged helplessly. "I wanted to get away from the noise for a bit."

"Don't like being the center of attention?" Dean sounded sympathetic but there was something else hidden in his voice as well.

"No." Castiel walked over and sat on the bed next to Dean. "I'm not used to it."

Dean nodded curtly. "I get that."

Castiel turned his head to the side, stealing a look at Dean as subtly as he could. He would miss this man, he realized, and what they could have been, had the circumstances been different. A small part of him truly resented Sam for making him do this, but rationally he knew that there was no way Sam could have known Castiel would fall for his brother.

Suddenly, Dean turned his head, and their eyes met. Castiel gasped softly, feeling as if all the air had been sucked out of his lungs. They had never been this close before. It wouldn't take much to close the gap. Castiel licked his lips absentmindedly.

Then Dean was jumping to his feet. "Fuck. This is so fucked up. Even by my standards."

Castiel stood slowly. "I don't understand."

Dean huffed. "This," he gestured between them, "you. And me. This isn't supposed to happen. You're my brother's boyfriend, for fuck's sake."

"I'm not."

Dean's eyes widened and Castiel realized that he had said that out loud. "What?"

"I'm not Sam's boyfriend," Castiel said, because screw it. He was leaving tomorrow, the least he could do was tell Dean the truth. Beautiful, brilliant Dean, who now hated himself for his attraction to his brother's supposed boyfriend. "We're just friends, we've never been more. Your mother was worried about Sam's social life, so he told her he was seeing someone. Sam asked me to pretend we were dating, in order to ease her mind."

Dean was staring at him, wide-eyed and pale, and Castiel briefly considered whether he'd just made a huge mistake. But then, he was smiling. "Seriously?"

"It sounds ridiculous, I know-"

"It's so beyond ridiculous," Dean cut him off, but he was still smiling, and now he was walking closer. "It's fucking unbelievable."

"But you believe me?" Castiel asked.

Dean laughed. "I do. Maybe I'm a fucking moron to, but I do."

That was all Castiel needed to hear, and he grabbed Dean by the front of his shirt and pulled him in for a heated, long-due kiss. Dean squeaked in surprise but then he was returning the kiss and grabbing at Castiel as well, hands running down his arms before settling around his shoulders and pulling him even closer.

Neither one of them noticed the door opening until Charlie gasped, "Holy shit!"

They pulled apart with an audible smack that would have been comical under any other circumstance.

Charlie was standing in the doorway and behind her was Sam. His eyes darted between Dean and Cas, and he had clearly guessed at the situation, because he looked guilty rather than hurt.

"Holy shit," Charlie repeated, turning around, clearly expecting a dramatic reaction from Sam.

"Cas, how could you?" Sam blurted.

"Sam," Castiel said flatly.

Sam grimaced. "Sorry."

"Why are _you_ apologizing?" Charlie asked, bewildered.

Sam gently took her shoulders and backed her away from the doorway. Castiel could hear him promising to explain everything before he shut the door behind them.

"Well," Dean said, rubbing the back of his head. "If I didn't believe you before, then that definitely convinced me."

Castiel frowned. "You didn't believe me?"

"Of course I did! I just… I was just saying if…" Dean chuckled awkwardly. "Can we go back to making out?"

In response, Castiel pushed him against the wall, blanketing Dean's body with his own. "Since you insist."

* * *

Castiel ended up extending his stay in Lawrence by another three weeks. After Sam had explained everything to his parents, and the dust had settled, it was quite an enjoyable summer vacation. There was teasing and many questions (most of them some variation of _'why'_), but it was worth it.

He had Dean. Of course it was worth it.


End file.
